Experience the ritzy, world-famous Cannes Film Festival while studying how international film functions in the context of celebrity culture, marketing, and festivals.
In preparation for fieldwork at the festival, you are required to attend two introductory lectures—which will be held in March and April on Penn's campus—and view films from around the world. You then spend every day of your two weeks attending the festival in Cannes, France. Your experience includes screenings, classes, and guest lectures by prominent leaders in the industry. Students live in dormitory-style housing at the centrally located Collège International de Cannes.
The Penn Summer Abroad Cannes program is exclusively for Penn undergraduate students.
Summer 2025 applications are now open.
|
Application Open |
November 1, 2024 |
|
Early Application Deadline |
January 31, 2025 |
|
Final Application Deadline |
February 15, 2025 |
Please read the important instructions on the Application Information page before starting your application.
Please join us for an information session to learn more about the Penn Summer Abroad Cannes program. Sessions will be held in Fisher-Bennett Hall, room 401.
- Wednesday, November 13, 2024, 5:30-6:30 p.m.
- Tuesday, November 19, 2024, 5:30-6:30 p.m.
- Wednesday, December 4, 2024, 5:30-6:30 p.m.
- Monday, December 9, 2024, 5:30-6:30 p.m.
| Friday, March 28, 2025 Friday, April 25, 2025 |
Pre-departure lectures |
| Sunday, May 10, 2025 | Recommended arrival in Cannes |
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Sunday, May 10, 2025 |
Program housing check-in date |
| Tuesday, May 13, 2025 | On-site orientation |
| Saturday, May 24, 2025 | Classes end |
| Sunday, May 25, 2025 | Program housing last checkout date |
All students register for a total of one course unit (c.u.)*. Course offerings are subject to change. Course registration is completed by the Penn Summer Abroad office for students who confirm their intent to enroll and submit required pre-departure documents.
Perspectives on International Cinema
CIMS 0390 (1 c.u.)
- Fulfills requirements: Elective Non-American Cinema for Cinema and Media Studies Major & Minor
The program begins with two introductory lectures held on Penn’s campus to enable students to establish a critical vocabulary for film study. The lectures and subsequent discussions examine a) the business and art of the film festival; b) contemporary international cinema; c) history of the Cannes Film Festival. In addition, students are required to watch at least six international films and write a ‘pre-departure’ paper. Those films will be entries from previous Cannes competitions. During the Cannes Festival, students will apply the critical tools and knowledge of the film industry gained from their earlier work. They will be expected to view a certain number of international films, keep a journal, attend regular meetings, and submit a final research essay.
Ian Fleishman
Associate Professor of Cinema and Media Studies, with a secondary appointment in Francophone, Italian, and Germanic Studies
Chair of Cinema and Media Studies
University of Pennsylvania
flei@sas.uepnn.edu
Students stay at the Collège International de Cannes in dormitory-style housing. Classes also meet at the College, which is centrally located.
Tuition and fees are subject to the approval of the Board of Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania and may change without notice. Tuition and fees below reflect rates for 2024 or estimated rates for 2025. Rates for summer 2025 programs will be available in spring 2025.
- Tuition for summer 2024: $5,200/c.u. General fee: $448. Total: $5,648
- Program fee for summer 2024: $2,200
- Penn Summer Abroad deposits ($500) will be credited to students’ accounts when final program costs are posted
- Includes administrative costs, lodging at the Collège International de Cannes, and Cannes Film Festival badges
- Program fee does not include airfare
Download: Estimated Cost Sheet for 2024 (PDF)
Read a news article about Penn’s summer abroad program in Cannes: Starstruck on the Cannes red carpet
Students from the Cannes program attended the 2013 Cannes Film Festival as part of their studies. Led by Nicola M. Gentili, Program Director, the group attended screenings and lectures, and made some time for celebrity spotting. This video was filmed and edited by Zoe Gan with video contributions from Nicolette Toronto.
If you have a problem viewing this video, you can watch it on YouTube.
Penn Summer Abroad disclaimer
The running of all 2025 Penn Summer Abroad programs is dependent on approval from the Committee on Travel Risk Assessment (CTRA). Please be advised, CTRA approval may also be rescinded at any time prior to the running of the program. Programs may also be canceled independently of the CTRA process. Any of these scenarios would result in your summer 2025 Penn Summer Abroad Program not moving forward. All PSA students are strongly encouraged to consider the consequences if their summer 2025 program is canceled for any reason. Cancellations carry financial risks as well as academic risks, including the potential impact on academic progress.
Contact information
For details about the program, courses, or location including academic advising, travel dates, housing, and orientation:
Program Director
Nicola M. Gentili
Associate Director of Cinema Studies
University of Pennsylvania
Tel: (215) 898-8782
ngentili@sas.upenn.edu
Penn Summer Abroad Office
College of Liberal and Professional Studies
University of Pennsylvania
Fisher-Bennett Hall, Room 101
3340 Walnut Street
Philadelphia, PA, 19104-3335
Tel: (215) 573-7016
summerabroad@sas.upenn.edu
*Academic credit is defined by the University of Pennsylvania as a course unit (c.u.). A course unit (c.u.) is a general measure of academic work over a period of time, typically a term (semester or summer). A c.u. (or a fraction of a c.u.) represents different types of academic work across different types of academic programs and is the basic unit of progress toward a degree. One c.u. is usually converted to a four-semester-hour course.
